Folding davenport or couch.



M. TAUBER.

FOLDING DAVENPORT 0R COUCH.

APPLICATION man Nov.29. 1915.

I 1,21 6,61 1. Patentd Feb. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

$67 I @Mgnice Z'c'zger M.- TAUBER.

FOLDING DAVENPORT 0R COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.29, 1915.

Patented Feb. 13,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wlnesw: [Z Elia/en??? zmz'ce aufier J ("7% g I m ce MAURICE TAUJBER, OI CHICQAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING nnvnnroa'r on come.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 113, 119W.

Application filed November 29, 1915. Serial No. 68,927.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, MAURICE TAUBnR,a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Davenports or Couches, of which the following is a speclfication.

Folding davenports, as now marketed, are of two general styles, one of which is of sufficient length so that the unfolded bed permits a person to "sleep lengthwise of the davenport, the other style having the long dimension of the collapsible bed structure running transversely to the davenport framework. Certain of the features of my present invention are applicable to either of these styles, while other features refer more particularly to the type last mentioned. The latter type of bed structure may be embodied in a chair or other seating device.

' One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of the foldable bed sections, with a view to securing maximum ease in operation and maximu compactness when folded.

Another-object is to provide improved means for supporting and operating the bed structure.

Further objects are to simplify and improve the construction by reducing the number of working parts and by minimizing the size and weight thereof, more particularly of. the iron parts; to provide a structure which needs no lock to hold it either in folded or extended position; to provide a structure which will be stable and strong when extended; and generally to produce a couch which will, have the combined attributes of cheapness of manufacture, ease and convenience of operation, and strength and stability in use.

Inthe accompanying drawings, Figure l is'a transverse sectional view through one end offa davenport embodying the features ofmy invention, the view illustrating the up ready for use as a bed. Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan view showing the structure'in the same position as in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 1, but showing the parts respectively in partially folded and v fully; folded positions.

' The preferred form of the invention will be herein described'in detail, but I do not thereby intend to limit the inventlon to the embodiment disclosed. The scope of the invention will'be pointed out in the appended claims.

The main framework of the davenport may be of any common or preferred form, but preferably comprises two upright end frames 10 which are removably secured as by bolts 11 to the ends of an inner rectangular frame 12, the latter frame carrying the bedforming structure. The two end frames may also be connected at their rear edges by a horizontal bar 13, and they are further rlgidly connected, in the present instance, by the back section 17, which is stationarily supported by said end frames.

The seat section l t of the davenport is hinged at 15 near its forward edge to the forward side of the inner frame 12 by suitable means, such as two pairs of hinge members 16, so that the seat is capable of swinging from its normal position upwardly and forwardly'into inverted position in front of p the main framework. When in normal position the seat rests on the inner frame 12. A strap 20 may be secured to the seat to provide a hand-hold for swinging the seat.

The elements of the bed structure and the cooperating connecting elements are duplicated at opposite sides of the bed and for the sake of clearness the following description will refer to the parts at only one side of the bed or at one end of the davenport. The bed-forming elements proper comp-rise two relatively long sections 23 and 24;, a short'section 25 pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of said long sections, and two short sections 22 and 26 pivoted respectively to the remote ends of the outer long section and the inner long section. These partsv at opposite sides of the bed are connected by suitable end bars 27, one or more intermediate bowed braces 28, and suitable spring material 29 as shown in Fig. 2. In the present instance only one bowed brace 28 is provided and it has its ends pivoted in the short section 25.

The outer long section 23 has supporting legs 30 pivoted at 31 thereto and adapted to rest on the floor, the two legs at opposite sides of the bed being connected by a brace 32. A link 33 is pivoted at one end to the leg 30 above its pivot 31, the other end of the link being pivoted at 34 to the short section 25. This link is arranged to fold and unthe section 23.

axis.

A bracket 35 rigidly fixed to the seat 14 and projecting from the bottom thereof has its free end pivoted at 36 to the inner long section 24 near the joint between the latter section and the short section 25. Another bracket or bar 37 is rigidl fixed at a point rearwardly from the brac et 35, in this instance being mounted on the front bar of the inner frame 12, said bracket 37 extending .upwardly to abut against the inner long section 24 when the bed is unfolded, so as to support the bed structure at this point. In the present arrangement, the inner long section 24 extends a material distance forwardly from the vertical plane of the seat The bracket 37 acts as a fulcrum, forwardly of which the weight of the seat 1"- draws down on the section 24, and tilting of said section about this fulcrum is limited by means to be presently described. The bed structure is also connected to the seat forwardly of the bracket 37 by means of a flexible strap 38 attached at one end to the seat and passing around the bowed brace 28.

On the inner portion of the inner long section 24 is mounted a depending bracket 42 having an angular end adapted to cooperate with a stop device on the davenport when the bed structure is in extended position. The said stop device, in the form herein shown, comprises a base 44, which preferably has a curved or inclined rear ed e to guide the bracket 42 in its up-andown movements and an angular bar 43 secured to said base and beneath which the bracket 42 is arranged to engage, said bracket fitting snugly between the bar 43 and the upper end of the base 44 when the bed is fully extended. The inner portion of the bed struc-' ture is thereby securely held against either up or down movement.

The inner short section 26 is equipped with a lateral projection 48 which may be formgd by extending the end rail 27 beyond the side of the section, and this projection is arranged to cooperate with a bar 49 secured to the main framework and providing a rest or support on which the projection hangs when the bed is collapsed as shown in Fig. 4, so as to support 'the bed structure. When extended, the projection 48 rises some distance away from the rest bar 49.

Assuming the davenport to be in its normal or folded position, as shown in Fig. 4, if it is desired to unfold the structure the operator grasps the strap 20 and swings the seat upwardly and forwardly into inverted position. In this movement the collapsed bed structure is raised from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 3. The operator now grasps the outer long section 23 and swings it into inverted position, the leg 30 being at the same time automatically unfolded by the link 33. The short end sections 22 and 26 need no independent supports on account of the overlapping joints by which they are connected to the long sections.

The folding operation is the .reverse of that just described, the inner section 26 being turned up by the engagement of the projection 48 with the bar 49. When completely collapsed, the outer long section 23 lies above and approximately parallel to the inner long section 24 and the three short sections 22, 25, 26, occupy parallel vertical positions, with the end sections 22, 26 overlapping each other. The section 23 is somewhat shortehthan the section 24, so that the outer short section 22 will be positioned forwardly of the inner short section 26. To permit this arrangement and'to obtain the maximum compactness, the section 22 is pivoted to the inner side of the rail of the section 23 so that the section 22 will fit between the rails of section 24 when collapsed. By arranging the sections to fold in this manner, a bed having its long dimension extending transversely to the davenport is provided and at the same time the bed collapses into a very compact space. During the act of folding, the strap 38 serves to swing the brace 28 upwardly and pull it out of the way, so that it will not interfere with the folding. The strap also forms a connection when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, which allows the seat to be raised by grasping the brace 28, thereby obviating the necessity for stooping down low to grasp the hand-strap 20 on the seat.

I claim as my invention.

1. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat hinged at its forward edge thereto, a collapsible bed structure comprising two long sections, a short section pivoted to the adj acent ends thereof, and a short inner section pivoted to the inner long section, a pair of brackets fixed to and projecting from the bottom of the seat and pivoted to the outer end of the inner long section, another pair of brackets upon which the latter section is arranged to hear at a point inwardly from the first mentioned brackets, cooperating stop members on the framework and the inner portion of the latter section adapted to secure the section, means for supporting the inner corners of the short inner section in said framework, a pair of legs pivoted to the outer long section and adapted to bear against the floor forsupporting the latter section, and a pair of links pivotally connecting said legs to the intermediate short section.

2. A folding couch or the like having, .in combination, a supporting framework, a seat mounted therein for swinging movement about its forward edge into an inverted position in front of the frame work, a folding bed structure including two long sections, an

outer end of the inner long section is piv-- mai en ter, and means, for supporting the outer long section."

3. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat hinged at its forward edge thereto, a bed structure including two long sections and a short section pivotally connecting them, the structure when extended being arranged with the inner long section positioned across the vertical plane of the seat axis, a pair of brackets fixed to and projecting from the bottom of the seat, in which brackets the oted, another pair of brackets positioned in wardly from the first brackets and adjacent to the seat axis and adapted to support the midportion of the inner long section, cooperating parts on the framework and the inner end of the inner long section for securing the latter, and legs pivoted to the outer long section and adapted to rest on the floor.

i. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat mounted therein for swinging movement about its forward edge into an inverted position in front of the framework, a folding bed structure including two long sections and an intermediate shortsection pivoted thereto, a pair of brackets fixed to and projecting from the bottom of the seat in which brackets the inner long section is pivotally mounted near its outer end, another pair of brackets positioned inwardly from the first mentioned brackets, and adapted to have the midportion of the inner long section bear thereon, cooperating parts on the framework and the inner'end of the inner long section for maintaining the latter, and legs adapted to rest on the floor and support the outer section.

5. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat mounted therein for swinging movement about its forward edge into an inverted position in front of the framework, a folding bed structure including two long sections, and an intermediate short section pivoted therebetween, a pair of brackets fixed to and projecting from the bottom of said seat in which brackets the inner long section is pivotally supported, additional supporting means positioned rearwardly from said brackets and adapted to support the inner long section, cooperating parts on the framework and the inner end of said inner long section arranged to secure the latter, and legs pivoted to the outer long section and adapted to rest upon the floor.

6. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat mounted therein for swinging movement into an inverted position in front of the framework, a foldable bed structure comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sections, said structure being pivotally connected to the seat so as to be operated by the swinging movement of the seat, fulcrum means positioned rearwardly from the point of attachment of said structure to the seat when unfolded, upon which fulcrum means said structure is arranged to bear to support the structure, the weight of the seat acting to pull down on the structure in front of said fulcrum means, and means rearwardly from said fulcrum means to provide a connection between the bed structure and the framework for limiting upward tilting of the bed structure at that point.

7 A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a back stationarily mounted therein, a seat hinged at its forward edge to said framework, a collapsible bed structure comprising two long sections, a short section pivoted to the adjacent ends of the long sections, and two short end sections pivoted to the remote ends of said long sections, a pair of brackets fixed to and projecting from the bottom of the bottom of the seat in which said bed structure is pivoted, fulcrum means positioned rearwardly from said brackets in the inverted position of the seat on which fulcrum means the bed structure is arranged to bear, and means rearward from said ful- "sections, a pair of brackets projecting from crum means to secure the bed structure to the framework and limit upward tilting of the structure about said fulcrum'means.

9. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat directly pivoted thereto for swinging movement into an inverted position in front of the framework, a foldable bed structure I comprising two long sections foldably connected together, a fulcrum on the framework upon which fulcrum the inner lon section is arranged to bear when unfolde a connection between the seat and the inner long section, the weight of the seat acting to pull down on the inner long section in front of said fulcrum, and means rearwardly from said fulcrum to provide a connectlon between the inner long section and the framework for limiting upward tilting of the inner long section at that point, the outer long section being foldable independently of the seat. r

10. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a main framework, a seat directly pivoted thereto, a fulcrum on the framework, 3, bed structure comprising two long sections foldably connected together, brackets fixed to the seat and pivoted to the inner long section, said brackets being located forwardly of the fulcrum when the seat is unfolded, a stop device on the framework rearwardly of the fulcrum, a stop device on the rear end of the inner long section arranged to engage the first mentioned stop device when the seat is unfolded, the outer long section being foldable independently of the seat, and legs to support the outer end of the outer long section.

11. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat directly pivoted thereto, a foldable bed-,

structure comprising two long sections, a shortsection pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of the long sections and two short end-sections pivoted to the remote ends of said long sections, the long sections when folded lying one above the other, and the short end-sections occupying substantially upright positions at the rear of the couch, means on the framework for supporting the inner long section when unfolded, means connecting the seat to the inner long section, the outer long section being foldable independently of the seat, and means to support the outer end of the outer long section.

12. A folding couch or the like having, in

combination, a main framework, aseatmounted therein for swinging movement into an inverted position in front of the framework, a folding bed structure including two long sections and an intermediate short section pivoted together, the inner one of said long sections being pivotally mounted on the seat, fulcrum means positioned rearwardly from the point of connection between the bed structure and its seat when the structure is extended, upon which fulcrum means the inner long section is arranged to rest, and cotiperatmg parts on the ilmer portion of said inner long section and on the main framework, respectively, arranged to limit upward movement of said section.

13. A folding couch or the like havin in combination, a supporting framewor a seat movably mounted thereon, a collapsible bed structure comprising a plurality of sections connected to said seat for operation thereby, a pair of stop devices stationarily mounted on the framework and each comprising a base having an upri ht inclined guiding edge and an angular 211' secured to the upper end of said base, and a pair of angular brackets secured to the bed structure and unconnected to said stop devices, said brackets being arranged to move along said guiding edges as the bed is unfolded and to engage between said angular bars and the upper-ends of said bases when the bed is fully extended, the innermost one of 'the bed sections being arranged to occupy position when the bed structure position in front of the framework, a fold- .ing bed structure pivoted to the seat for operation by the latter and comprising two long sections pivotally connected together and a short section pivoted to the inner end of the inner long section, the inner portion of the bed structure being wholly disconnected from the main framework, cooperating stop devices on the inner portion of the structure and the main framework, respect vely, arranged to come into operative relation when the structure is extended, and

cooperating parts on the inner short section and the main framework arranged to move into operative'relation to sup ort said inner short section in upright posltion when the structure iscollapsed.

15. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat hinged at its forward edge thereto, a bed structure comprising pivoted sections connected to said seat for operation thereby, means for securing the inner portion of the bed structure with relation to the framework when extended comprising a pair of hooked stop devices on the framework and a pair of hooked brackets on the bed structure, and means for supporting the innermost section in the framework in an upright position when the bed structure is collapsed.

operating parts on the'innermost short section and the framework arranged to support the latter section in upright position when the bed structure is collapsed beneath the seat.

17. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat movably mounted thereon, a collapsible bed structure comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sections, the innermost one of said sections being relatively short and having lateral projections thereon arranged to engage parts on the framework, whereby the section will be suspended in a vertical position at the rear side of the framework when the bed structure is collapsed, said innermost section being wholly disconnected from the framework so that the section may move upwardly and forwardly as a unit when the bed structure is extended, and said lateral projections being then disassociated from their supporting parts.

18. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat mounted thereon for movement about its forward edge into an inverted position infront of the framework, a collapsible bed structure comprising a plurality of sections pivoted together, the innermost section being relatively short and the next adjacent section being relatively long, said long section being pivotally supported by the seat, said short innermost section havmglateral projections thereon arranged td'engage parts on the framework to suspend said section in an upright position when the bed structure is collapsed, a pair of stop devices mounted on the framework, and a pair of stop devices carried by said long section and arranged to move into engagement with the first mentioned devices when the bed structure is extended for use.

19. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat mounted thereon for movement about an axis at its forward edge into an inverted position in front of said framework, a collapsible bed structure comprising two long sections, a connecting short section, and two short end sections pivoted to the remote ends of the respective long sections, means connecting the bed structure to the seat for operation by thelatter, means for supporting the outer portion of the bed structure from the floor, said structure being arranged to collapse beneath the seat with the two long sections lying one above the other and with the three short sections in upright position, the two short end sections overlapping each other, the inner short section having projections arranged to engage parts on the framework to support said sections, stationary stop devices mounted on the framework, and stop devices carried by the inner long section and arranged to move into engagement with said stationary devices when the bed is extended.

20. A folding couch or the like having, in combination, a supporting framework, a seat hinged at its forward edge thereto, a collapsible bed structure comprising a plurality of pivoted sections, and a brace carried by one of said sections, brackets fixed to the seat and pivoted to one of said sections, flexible means connecting said brace to the seat at a point outward from said brackets, and additional securing means for the sections located inward from said brackets. I

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

MAURICE TAUBER. 

